Means for supporting signs or similar articles



l H. M; STANTON.A

'MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SIGNS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES.

, APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1921. T,421,603.

Patented July 4,

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aus te? as) iii HOWARD lvl'. STANTDN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

Application filed February 3, 1921.

To all 0.0/1 0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Howann M. STANTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis. in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Means for Supporting Signs or Similar Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is'to produce a sign of such character that it may be readily erected without the use of nails or Aother fastening members to connect the signcarrying portion with the support or stick.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved sign as a guidepost; Fig. 2 a perspective view of another form; Fig. 3 a fragmentary perspective view of a third form; Fig. 1 a rear perspective view of a sign embodying the modification shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a perspective view of a form which will prove convenient for realestate dealers; Fig. 6 a fragmentary perspective showing the manner of bracing the sign; Fig. 7 another modification.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the main body or vertical face of a sign provided on its i'ear face with horizontally-extending flanges 11, 11 which are perforated at 12, 12, so formed and arranged that two stakes 13, 13, may be inserted therethrough and driven into the ground at an angle to, and crossing, each other. In utili Zing this form, one stake is first driven into the ground at a proper angle, the sign is then slipped down over the stake, held at the desired height from the ground, and the other stake then driven to place.

The construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the same general character, except that the perforations 12 are arranged so that the stakes 13 will cross each other at a point below the sign 10, and the stakes, where they cross, are threaded through the eye 14 of a brace 15.

In Fig. t I show a composite sign, comprising a plurality of U-shaped members 16, having vertical flanges 17. Cooperating plates 18 are arranged between adjacent members 16, the arrangement being such that the exposed vertical faces of the plates 18 may be painted, as well as the front faces of members 16, and thus produce a sign which varies with the angle of observation. The flanges 17 and rear portions of plates 18, are provided with registering perfora- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July d, '1922.

Serial No. 442,056.

tions 19 which permit a latticed arrangement ofthe stakes 20.

In Fig. 7, I illustrate a very convenient form of my invention, especially designed for real-estate agents. In this form, the sign-carrying board 22 carries battens 23 on its back. These battens are nailed to the boa-rd and are provided, on their' boa rd faces, with two sets of oppositely inclined notches 24, 24 and 25, 25, through which the stakes 26. 26 may be driven.

It will be noted that, in each instance, the angular positioning of the stakes, with relation to the signebearing member, serves to retain the sign-bearing member in vertical position, at any .selected height, without the vuse of nails, screws, or other .fastening members, and that one stake braces the other through the sign-bearing member. It is, therefore, a simple mattei' to draw the stakes and reset the sign without damage to any of the parts.

It will be readily understood from the various illustrations, that many variations may be made without departing from my invention.

In Fig. 5, the sign-carrying member is double-faced, as indicated, and the supporting members lie between the two faces and are thus hidden from view for a considerable portion of their lengths. Attention is called to the fact that the supporting members may be supported in many ways besides being driven into the ground, as, for instance, by suspension, attachment to supports, etc., the angularly placed supports in any instance serving to maintain the signcarrying member in place.

In the drawings I have illustrated and in certain of the claims described the supporting stakes or legs as being imbedded in the ground. It will be understood that in the claims the term ground is used in a generic sense and contemplates any base or foundation in which the legs may be imbedded.

Il claim as my invent-ion:

1. The combination of a supported member having a pair of guide ways extended therethrough and at an `angle to each other, and av pair of supporting leO's projecting through said guide ways whic guide ways permit only relative linear movement of the legs, said legs having their bottom ends imbedded in the ground and held by the ground against lateral and angular relative movement and in a desired spaced relation,

ship, the vertical movement of said member on said legs in either direction being prevented solely by the angular spaced relationship of saidV legs maintained by the ground.

2.V The combination of 'a plurality of members each having a pair ot' guides arranged at an angle to each other, the several guides of adjacent Vmembers alining with each other, and a plurality of supporting` members projected through the guides of adjacent members and at an angle to each other, and independently supported at their lower ends.

- 3. The combination of a plurality of members each having a pair of guides arranged at an angle to each other, the. several guides. of adjacent members alining with each other, and a plurality of supporting members projected through the guides of adjacent members and at an angle to each other.

4L. The combination of a plurality of members each having a pair 1ot guides arranged at an angle to each other, the several guides of adjacent members alining with each other, Iand .a plurality of supporting members projected through the guides of adjacent members and at an angle to each other, and independently supported at their lower ends, and brace members each at one of its ends engaging a pair of supporting members at their crossing point.

5. The combination of a plurality of members each having a pair of guides arranged atan angle to each other, the several guides of adjacent members alining with each other, and a plurality ot supporting members projected through the guides of -adj acent members and at an angle to each other, and brace members each at one of its ends engaging a pair of supporting members at their crossing point.

6. The combination, with a sign board comprising a pair of guides arranged at an angle to each other, and a pair of supporting members projected through said guides at an angle to each other and crossing each other, and a brace engaging said supporting members at their crossing point.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, indiana, this twenty-eighth day of January, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one.

HOWARD M. STANTON. 

